What does being a born again Christian involve? Is a ticket to heaven after a life of 'sin'?

Question

I have read lots of born again Christian's on Y/A talking about Jesus and God etc. But what does being born again really mean? I am asking because I honestly don't know.

If I lived a life of sex, drugs, fighting, gambling, drinking and everything else that is fun, if i genuinely what to find salvation at the age of 50 and then become very pious, if I die of a massive heart attack from all my partying, will i get into heaven because I am born again? (and I mean people who are genuinely born again)

Do other Christian's find this fair, or are they just glad they have added another saved soul to their list? Or are people who are born again not as high quality Christian's as those people who have been studiously religious since their youth?

Answer 1

Do born again Christians get a second belly button?

Sorry.

Answer 2

Being born again is a miracle. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. It involves dying to self and beginning to live for Christ. The old nature (the works of the flesh you've listed, along with many other sins) is crucified. The new Christian has to pick up his cross daily, and follow Christ, no matter what the cost. Only a twerp would imagine s/he could profess faith in order to get a "ticket" to heaven, whilst carrying on sinning. God is not mocked.

I'm not calling you a twerp, though! You are genuinely confused, and I pray you will seek God sincerely, for if you do, you may yet be born again. Jesus said he would never turn away anyone seeking him. You're going to have to get down on your knees at some point, of course, and ask God to reveal Christ to you. Nothing you do can earn God's grace or salvation, but once you are saved, good works will follow, which confirms that you are born again, and which bring glory to God, not self. You will lose the desire to sin as the terrible price Christ paid to set you free from sin dawns on you. Christians begin as immature, and some become mature. God loves each and every one, though some suffer by back-sliding. Grace is free, but it is not cheap. I hope this helps sort out the muddle you are in.

Answer 3

I became a born again Christian 24 years ago when I was 17.

It means that I believe that Christ was who He said He was and because of His death and resurrection, I AM going to Heaven but it's nothing I've done. He did everything, therefore I can't boast about how I'm going to Heaven but I can point others to Him.

By the way, yeah; I'm saved, yeah; He lays His blessings on me big time but that doesn't stop me lying, stealing, fighting etc. Heck it didn't stop me having sex (I've never been married)!

But all that doesn't stop me from going to Heaven. I've apologised to God for breaking his rules (especially the sex one) and He's forgiven me.

To my mind, you can only call yourself a Christian if you've accepted Christ, after all that's what the first Christians did and in those days it meant a bit more than being a bit uncool. You ended up being the main course for some rather large carnivores.

That's why people have said that being born again is like being in a club, you're only accepted if you're a member.

Firstly ... Errrrrr - no. they obviously haven't given it a lot of though. Speaking from the inside of 'The Club' and having been surrounded by evangelicals all my life (my parents weren't by the way but they sent us to evangelical Sunday Schools and then I joined a Pentecostal church - at 17). It's not an exclusive club because everyone is welcome and everyone has it in them to accept Christ so conversely, everyone can join.

Being saved isn';t a licence to sin because we are always aware that we reflect Jesus and if people see us as out and out hypocrites, then they're not going to think much of Jesus now, are they? Most people I know seem to think I'm a sincere person and I very rarely Bible Bash them.

Being religious means nothing, that comes through really strongly in the Bible. That's just following a set of rules. I never go to church. I haven't read the Bible in months. I feel really awkward praying - always have done but I know I'm saved and I know there's nothing that can change that.

Answer 4

A born-again Christian is one who was raised/baptized in a church, usually Protestant--for some reason, Catholics are rarely called that--who was either indifferent or had left and then returned, having "seen the light." They tend to be very enthusiastic and vocal about their faith from that point, and highly involved in their church. Which can certainly be a good thing.
I personally do not hold that it's an automatic entry into Heaven, unless it's genuine. True repentance & faith will lead you to Heaven, and you don't have to be flashy about it if it's not your way. Heaven is big enough for everyone, so I don't worry about when people found their path. I just worry about myself & my path.
High quality Christians...interesting phrase. Like I say, it has to be real, genuine, sincere--but I don't feel I have the right to judge anyone on their sincerity, not their destination after death. That's God's business, & it would be most presumptuous of us mere mortals to presume we know it.


BTW: I don't know what's so good about a life of "sex, drugs, fighting, gambling, drinking and everything else that is fun" Are you saying nothing else in life is fun? I don't see how drugs, gambling, and most of the rest are fun.

Answer 5

Salvation is not a one time thing. Salvation is an on going process. There is no "once saved always saved". One must always repent of sin and seek forgiveness.To be truly "born again" one must be baptized with water and the Holy Spirit, one does just not say the sinners prayer and think they are born again, and think they can continue a sinful life and that just because they are born again that this saves them. This is wrong. Salvation must be worked on every single minute of every single day.

"As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13)."

Answer 6

Who says that (presumably p[romiscuos) sex, drugs, fighting, etc are fun? That has not been my experience of helping those who have lived that way pick up the pices of a messed up life.
The way to become a Christian is to be born again...ie ask Jesus to take control and, in effect, give you a new life.

If it is genuine decision (even after years of any other lifestyle) then...NO you do not go to Heaven after you die....you enter Heaven on Earth there and then. (And only fully realise it after death, which is nothing other than Satan's lie about eternal life)

I can't speak for all other Christians though those I know are delighted when anyone joins the family.
What I will say is that I highly recommend it, and regret that I did not take the step sooner.
Reel free to email me if it would help.
I will pray for you.

Answer 7

The bible says the first will be last and the last will be first.
This means it doesn't matter when you were saved. God will allow anyone who follows Jesus in heaven period.

And there is no one who has a "high quality" of being a Christian. "All sin and fall short of the glory of God". All.

Now there are rewards in heaven. BUt good works won't get you in. Lack of good works may keep you out though-lol think about that for a min.

Now, what does being born again mean? We are a new person when we are born right? We have a change and are new again.
Here's what Jesus said , "3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.[a]"

4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You[c] must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

So if one believes Jesus was born, died for our sins and rose from the dead they must repent (have a change of heart) then one must be water immersed or baptized into christ then one is born again.
†

Answer 8

I'd be glad to see another person added to the list! Could you imagine it the OTHER way around? Living a pious life, then backsliding into drunkenness, addiction and etc., only to die within hours, days, weeks, etc.? It wouldn't be any less fair to a sinner to see someone fall like that; they'd merely shrug their shoulders, laugh at their fall from "Christianity" as they see it, slap em' on the back and buy em' another beer! I'd be grateful to God for that soul that struggled so hard for so long and finally won out! How awesome that would be!

Answer 9

To be born again means the realignment of your priorities in life (sharing in the revealtion of God's character)... it happens not out of a decision as some would say but through the grace of God (obviously we have to be willing, but it is not enough). If someone continues in a life of sex, drugs, fighting, gambling and such... they are still dead, they can say they are Christian... they can say they are born again, but the buttom line truth is that they are not. A suitable quote from the Bible for you think about is "If you love me, you will obey my commands", notice its out of love... not fear, not reward. Our obedience is through free will... such that many things that appear wise to this generation are shameful to us, and likewise humbling ourselves before the Lord is the beginning of our wisdom, but foolishness to the world. We have an audience of one... which is God, not man or angels... so its not a competition or a race for a free ticket to anywhere, instead it is a journey of restoration. To say that someone is a higher quality Christian then someone else is foolish, we may be at different points on the same continuum... some dispite their self proclimations are not even on the continuum, sanctification is a long process!

Answer 10

there is not any ascertain that a "born back christian" will bypass to heaven. it really is God on my own you may want to tell and say that someone will bypass to heaven even as judgment encounter the go back of Jesus to judge us. do not merely believe your "born back christian" buddy even as he will say that he has the assure to bypass to Heaven. Your buddy might want to not understand what it skill contained in the bible about the born back christian it really is about baptism which will be solemnized to you on the age of adulthood or upon attaining the age the position you'll comprehend what's sweet and what's incorrect. even as baptized, that could want to be the time that you're considered born back christian because your sin develop into already washed away,taken far out of your body or devil moved far out of your body and that you've been cleared of sins. jtm